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2021 brings changes to Courtenay curbside collection schedule 

A new year will bring new curbside collection days in Courtenay.

The switch is spurred by upcoming changes to regional landfill operations combined with overall community growth.

Starting on Jan. 1st, 2021, the regional Comox Strathcona Waste Management service will be closing landfill facilities on statutory holidays.  

These closures will impact curbside collection because waste can’t be disposed at the landfill on those days.

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On top of that, the City is redistributing collection zone boundaries and creating an additional zone. 

The change will see the number of zones increase from the current four zones to a new five-zone schedule from Monday through Friday.

To accommodate both of these changes, the City is shifting to an “Add-A-Day” collection calendar, with curbside pickup shifting by one day after every statutory holiday.  

Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said the new collection zones will help alleviate capacity issues with the current schedule. 

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“We have had the Tuesday to Friday collection schedule for a very long time, and in that time Courtenay has grown substantially,” Wells said. 

“Our contractor has been doing their best with the current schedule but the reality is we’re experiencing an increasing number of collection delays from excess volumes, especially on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The statutory holiday landfill closures starting in 2021 are another issue, so we’re adjusting our collection schedule as of January 1st to adapt to both. ”

The City has seen growth in a number of neighbourhoods, but in particular East Courtenay’s Crown Isle and West Courtenay’s The Ridge developments. 

More garbage on those days on some days are resulting in logistical and operational challenges.

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With the Add-a-Day collection calendar, ‘day’ of pickup now becomes ‘zone number’ as collection shifts through the days of the week throughout the year. 

This type of calendar eliminates the need to reschedule collection for each statutory holiday.

For example, those who start the year with Monday collection would continue placing their materials at the curb each Monday until Family Day on Feb. 15th, 2021. 

There will be no curbside collection in Courtenay on that day. 

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After Family Day, weekly collection for this zone will shift to Tuesdays. 

After Good Friday on April 2nd, 2021, weekly collection will move to Wednesdays. 

This process will continue throughout the year, with collection shifting by one day after every weekday statutory holiday. 

In 2021 there are nine weekday statutory holidays that will impact collection in the City of Courtenay.

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2021 Residential Waste Collection Guides will be distributed across the city in late November.

To stay on top of collection calendar changes, you’re encouraged to sign up for reminders by text, email, or phone with the Courtenay Collects mobile and web app.  

Learn more at www.courtenay.ca/recycling

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